


you burn with the intensity of stars

by Nori



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Mostly Fluff, Steve is a titan and I will fist fight anyone who disagrees, a bit of creepy life and death stuff, as in Destiny the game, destiny au, destiny is a first person shooter so, genre typical violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-18 09:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8156581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nori/pseuds/Nori
Summary: He is not afraid of death. He has already died so many times.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There's a titan helmet in the game called "Helm of Inmost Light" and the description reads, "The light shines brightest in those it consumes." I've read that about 2 million times, but yesterday I read it again and my brain immediately screamed, "STEVE STEVE STEVE."
> 
> So guardians are immortal unless they're killed in a "darkness zone," which is anywhere the magic space orb called the Traveler can't shine any "Light." They're also people who died and were brought back to life to fight for the rest of eternity. It's fairly unusual in Destiny canon for guardians to actually die for real, so I guess yay for Sam, Riley's alive (but totally unmentioned). 
> 
> Man, idk. Hope you enjoy it. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Bucky stands at the railing, staring unseeingly down at the sprawling city below. Humanity’s last bastion is crawling with activity, overseen as it is by the sword of the Guardian’s Tower and the shield of the Traveler. The unnatural globe floats over the city, a hulking carcass, a monument to its failure. Bucky’s hands tighten around the railing. Their great savior has died. Now it’s only the Guardians who protect the people, who rush headlong into the swallowing dark. 

Steve has been gone longer than Bucky likes. Sam is with him, and probably Natasha, but they’re so young. Not inexperienced, exactly, but young. They haven’t seen the things Bucky has, Steve has. Neither of them have descended so deep into the dark that they could no longer feel the Light. They do not know what it is to lose a friend. Steve and Bucky… They have lost many.

It has been a long time. Longer than he cares to count. In all that time, it has always been Steve and Bucky. He doesn’t know if they knew each other in the life before or if perhaps they’re simply kindred spirits. Maybe the selves they are now were pieced together from the same dirt, same cool breeze, same pile of crumbling bones. Bucky doesn’t like the last possibility, doesn’t like the thought of his Ghost cobbling him together from the same material Steve’s Ghost had crafted him. Not when it means that Steve might feel the same bone deep ache to leave this place and wander the galaxy. To abandon all humanity has left. 

Steve could never do it. He is everything a Titan should be: stalwart, intrepid, catastrophic. They built a wall to keep the darkness out, but it is nothing compared to the wall Steve is, has been, will be. He has always stood between the people and the horrors of the darkness, unflinching. This is the one eternal truth Bucky knows: Steve will die, back to everything and everyone he loves, jaw set, determined. 

Bucky will die that day too. Even now, with Steve here to hold him, he cannot stand, unmoving, rooted to the ground like a great, enduring tree. There is something inside of Bucky, some clawing, snarling beast that demands he wander. He always obeys. Streaking out through the stars, stalking the quiet, forgotten places on Venus and Mars and the moon. He never goes too far, always comes back to Earth, the Tower, Steve. He is tethered here, in a way so many other Hunters aren’t. On the day Steve dies, Bucky will be cut loose, and he will gladly rush to his end.

He is not afraid of death. He has already died so many times. He has fought through broken bones, ruptured organs, missing limbs. None of it matters. He is not human, he is not alive. He is a thing of Light and matter, held in this familiar shape by the last vestiges of the Traveler’s power. When he finally drops, his Ghost will drag him back, whole and hale. The pain is the only thing with meaning, some long lost memory of the soul. He likes the pain, the way it whispers to him of life, the one he lived once when he was real. He’s waiting for the last death, the true death, that will reach him when the Light no longer can.

Steve always chases the darkness, the shadows where Light cannot reach him. He does it for all the right reasons, stopping the spread of evil and protecting the lives of the innocent but, Bucky thinks, Steve is burning out. His Light shines so brightly, he’s scorching himself from the inside. There have been others, Bucky remembers, who have burned too bright, too hot. They always die quickly, uncaring for immortality, the long endless fight of the Guardians. Steve is like them. He will die surrounded by darkness, but engulfed in his own Light. Bucky will be there, has to be there. He’ll die in shadow, as he lives in shadow, but he wants to do it with Steve’s Light burned across his eyes.

But Steve will not always wait for him. He cannot, just as Bucky cannot always stay. Instead, there is Sam, there is Natasha. There is Scott, Wanda, Clint. Tony, Bruce, Rhodes. T’Challa, even Peter, maybe. A never ending list of Guardians Steve will take into battle. Bucky hates them all as fiercely as he loves them, for taking his place at Steve’s side. If any of them ever fail to bring Steve back to him, he’ll kill them. He’ll take them down, down down deep into the darkness and kill them so they never come back. And then he will join them. He has many knives and a strong conviction. He cannot, he will not, endure this endless fucking life alone. 

A ship slows before the Tower, a white ship with a strip of lights curving against the wings, and the familiar buzz of a transmat begins off to Bucky’s left. He half turns, holding back anticipation. He knows this model, but it is not unique among Guardians. He waits for the fuzzy glow of the transmat to take shape, to form the well loved heavy plate armor Steve prefers. He lands graceful, right foot followed by the left, and lifts his hands to remove his helmet. In the fading sunlight, his hair is golden and his eyes are blue. 

“Hey Buck,” he smirks, clomping toward him. “Miss me?”

Bucky rolls his eyes, stepping up to him. He tucks his hands between the plasteel plating and the rubbery body suit on Steve’s chest, and hauls him down. His lips are soft and warm and curl into a smile. How do any of the others live, day in and day out, immortal, without Steve’s deep affection, blistering passion, endless love? Bucky doesn’t know if he could do it. 

“Guess so,” Steve murmurs when Bucky lets him up. 

“Who’d you bring with you?”

Steve rolls his eyes and starts off across the plaza. “Like you don’t know.”

“Sam,” Bucky supplies, striding after him. “Natasha.”

Steve forms a gun with his gloved fingers and mock fires at Bucky. “Got it in one.”

“Like I’m a sniper or something,” Bucky says flatly. Steve grins and bumps their shoulders together. 

“When are you going out again?” Bucky asks. 

“Soon,” Steve shrugs. 

“I’m coming with you.”

“I know,” Steve says, smile small and perfect and Bucky’s. Bucky grabs his hand, pulls him around so they’re toe to toe. 

“Stay,” Bucky demands. “For a little while.”

“You gonna make me?”

Bucky rolls his eyes. He can’t make Steve do anything. 

“I’ll make it worth your while,” Bucky offers. Steve squeezes his fingers, lips pulling into something dangerous, devastating. 

“I could be persuaded,” Steve hums. Bucky licks his lips, stepping in close so their armor clacks, scrapes together. He leaves a line of kisses up Steve’s jaw, breathing slow and hot across Steve’s ear.

“I love you,” Bucky whispers, still shaken by the strength of it after all these years. 

Steve pulls back, kisses Bucky’s forehead reverently. “Love you too,” he breathes and Bucky feels like he’s burning, burning up inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never actually planned to post this, but it's written so... :/
> 
> The names of the shaders don't actually matter that much. I just picked ones I knew had... interesting color combinations and/or look not so great with titan armor.

“What about this one?” Steve asks, laughter barely kept in check. 

“Steve,” Bucky groans. “I’m going to throw up in my mouth if you make me look at your ugly ass shaders.”

“This one’s not that bad,” Steve insists, sounding almost contrite. Bucky grits his teeth and slits his eyes open. He’s right, it’s not that bad. The brown with the electric blue isn’t exactly attractive, but it’s certainly not the worst Steve has subjected him to.

“Glowhoo, Steve?”

“At least I’m not a warlock, right?” Steve smirks. 

“I’d rather stab my own eyes out,” Bucky agrees, tipping to lean against the wall in a perfectly practiced casual pose. Steve’s eyes travel up his body slowly, assessing. When their eyes meet, all Bucky can focus on is the slick, dirty smile on Steve’s lips. Steve catches him staring and winks. 

“Okay,” Steve says, turning back to the kiosk and swiping through pages. “What about this?”

Bucky claps his hands over his eyes. “What’s it called?”

“Oh, c’mon Buck.”

“What’s it called, Steve?”

“Cyan Stars,” Steve grumbles. 

“I’m not looking at that fucking abomination, Steve.”

“But the black is so shiny!”

“And the teal and yellow make me nauseous.”

“Fine then,” Steve barks, “which one do you think I should use?”

“What was wrong with Vena Cava? I liked that one,” Bucky grumbles, still covering his eyes. 

“It looks bad with my new armor.”

Bucky peeks between two fingers. “Who told you that?”

“They took a vote. It was unanimous.”

“Your lame friends couldn’t agree on anything if their lives depended on it,” Bucky says, pointing a finger menacingly. “They must have planned this ahead of time.”

Steve shrugs. “Which is why I need to change my shader.”

“No,” Bucky says exasperatedly, “that’s what they want. They’re teasing you Steve.”

“I know,” Steve says, turning a deadly smile on Bucky. It’s a smile that has torn down pirates, legions, and monsters alike. Bucky shivers in anticipation. 

“So your plan is to make them regret it?”

“Exactly,” Steve chirps happily. “I’m going to wear the least attractive shader possible until they all beg me to change it again.”

Bucky eyes Steve’s armor critically. “What if you wear your Future War Cult armor?”

Steve’s eyebrows rise. “With the stripes and polka dots?”

Bucky nods. “Exactly.”

“And Provincial Royale,” Steve smirks.

“Rosegold,” Bucky returns, eyebrows rising. 

“Iris Germanica.”

“Jester Apogee.”

“Atlantean 5055.”

They stare at each other for a long moment, before Steve cracks, tossing his head back and cackling. Bucky curls in the middle, wrapping his arms around his waist and laughing along with him. It’s ridiculous. This whole thing is ridiculous. The human race is on the brink of oblivion; they shouldn’t have this much time to waste on petty revenge. 

Bucky could not care less. 

“Alright, alright,” Bucky says, breathless from laughter. “Whatever you pick, I’ll wear too.”

“Solidarity,” Steve beams at him. 

“You know I’m with you to the fucking end, pal.”

“Even if I pick Midnight Lumos?”

“Fuckin’ really?” Bucky whines. “You want us both to be hot pink monstrosities?”

“Well it looks awful with my Cult stripes and dots,” Steve points out. “And it always looks bad on you.”

“Wow, thanks,” Bucky snorts.

“Think of it like this,” Steve shrugs. “I’ll have even more incentive to get you out of your armor.”

Bucky smirks, looking up at Steve through his lashes. “More incentive?”

Steve snags Bucky by the hood, hauling him forward until Bucky is pressed against the hard protruding edge of Steve’s chest plate. His breath is hot across Bucky’s lips. 

“Are you fishing for compliments?” Steve murmurs. Bucky shrugs, cupping a hand on Steve’s jaw and gently encouraging him closer. Steve obliges, leaning in for a kiss. Bucky wraps his free hand around Steve’s neck, holding him in place, and Steve drops his hands to Bucky’s hips. 

They’re interrupted by a wolf whistle. 

“Now, now fellas,” Sam admonishes. Bucky lets himself sag in Steve’s grip, annoyed by the interruption, but doesn’t turn around. 

“Sam,” Steve smirks. His thumbs are rubbing arcs against Bucky’s hips. 

“Switching shaders?” Sam asks. He sounds so pleased with himself. He should know better.

“Well, when all my friends tell me that Vena Cava has to go, I listen,” Steve tells him, all good natured innocence. Bucky presses his face against Steve’s throat to halt his laughter. 

“It was time, Steve,” Sam says, grave. 

“I understand,” Steve says. “Bucky here,” he smacks Bucky’s ass in emphasis, “helped me pick a new one.”

“It’s so good too,” Bucky snickers, standing on tiptoe to reach the kiosk around Steve. He finds Midnight Lumos in the list and selects it. Both his armor and Steve’s change to painfully bright pink. For the first time since he interrupted, Bucky turns in Steve’s arms to look at Sam. His face is twisted in horrified disgust. 

“This is way better than Vena Cava, right?” Steve asks. He’s so goddamn pleased with himself. Smug is such an incredibly attractive look on him. 

Sam takes a wary step back. “I just remembered I needed to talk to the Cryptarch.”

“Well,” Bucky smirks ferally, “when you’re done, come find us.”

“We’re awfully hard to miss,” Steve interjects brightly. 

Sam nods jerkily and scrambles away as soon as his back is turned. They’re silent for a moment, watching Sam’s retreat, before Steve starts laughing. Bucky joins in, gladly caught up in Steve’s joy. 

“Revenge is so good,” Steve murmurs. Bucky leans back against him, despite the awkward armor, and turns his head up to smile at him. 

“You know what’s better?”

Steve’s face softens. He’s probably thinking something sappy. Bucky’s heart skips a beat. Fucking saps, both of them. 

“What?” Steve asks gently. 

Bucky rolls his hips against Steve suggestively, marveling at how quickly Steve’s eyes can change from sweet to hot. 

“Getting me out of this ugly ass armor.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone seems to love or hate titans. Or love to hate titans.

Bucky slithers backwards away from the cliff face and creeps toward the boulder Steve and Sam are waiting behind. Or rather, where they’re rough housing like little kids, despite the huge fuck off Hive monster waiting for them down below. 

“Are you two fucking serious?” Bucky hisses. 

“Always,” Steve replies, nonchalantly catching Sam in a headlock. Sam shoves at Steve urgently. He’s probably embarrassed Bucky caught them messing around. When Steve graciously gives Sam back his dignity, the Warlock straightens out his robes and turns to Bucky. 

Clearing his throat, Sam asks, “So what are we dealing with?”

Bucky ignores him, using the butt of his hand cannon to smack Steve’s armored shoulder. 

“The fuck is wrong with you?” Bucky snaps, his temper ratcheting up with the tension of the mission. Steve drives one solid fist into Bucky’s lightly armored ribs, enough to smart without causing any lasting damage. 

“We’ve done this a million times,” Steve snorts. “And I was watching my radar. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“There’s a giant Knight down there ready to rip us in half and you’re not concerned at all?”

“Does it have Acolytes with it? Or Poppers?”

“I didn’t see any Poppers,” Bucky mutters reluctantly. He folds his arms over his chest and levels a warning stare at Steve that can’t even be seen through his helmet.

“Man, why can’t you two just call them explody Thrall like everyone else I know,” Sam whines.

“We’ve been over this Sam,” Steve says patiently. 

“Just let it go,” Bucky says. “It’s not worth fighting him over.”

“He’s gonna have me saying it,” Sam complains mildly. 

Bucky shrugs. “It could be worse.”

“Seriously, it doesn’t even take long to say Cursed Thrall, which is what they’re actually called, you know.”

“Don’t tell me,” Bucky shrugs. “I don’t care one way or the other.”

Sam shrugs back at him, arms spread wide. “Alright, so what are we dealing with here?”

“One of Oryx’s giant go to hell Knights with a sword bigger than Steve is tall. A couple pissed off Wizards. Acolytes, Thrall.”

“The usual, then,” Sam replies flatly. 

“Yeah, but these assholes always have some kind of energy attack. Remember Malok? He had solar and void attacks.”

“Yeah but Alak Hul only had a big sword and a lot of anger issues.”

“That’s because Oryx hated him,” Bucky points out, waiting for Steve to chime in with some teasing comment about Alak Hul being Bucky’s boyfriend. An inside joke between the two of them that would take literal years to really flesh out for anyone else. When Steve doesn’t speak up, however, Bucky is forced to turn to him. 

Except Steve isn’t there anymore. 

“Steve?” Bucky says, voice serious, suddenly tense. Their Ghosts are hooked up like some kind of radio system, so even far away, Steve should be able to hear him. 

“Yeah, what?” Steve replies, sounding mildly irritated. Sam’s got his hands wrapped around his scout rifle now, helmet turned toward Bucky. Waiting for Bucky to call their next move. 

“Where the fuck are you?”

“About halfway down the cliff,” Steve says easily. 

“Fuck,” Bucky snarls, hefting his sniper rifle and dashing to the edge of the deep ravine. Sam is right behind him, muttering something about Titans and stupidity. Bucky looks through his scope down at Steve, whose helmet is turned up toward them. He waves his fingers at them cheerily. 

“You’re the reason I don’t like Titans, Steve,” Sam says jokingly, but his voice is taut. 

“You two always take so long,” Steve gripes. “We’ve gotta kill this thing, so let’s go kill it.”

“I’m gonna kill you,” Bucky growls. It makes Steve laugh, the bastard. 

“Yeah, sure,” he says, almost absently. “See that big cluster of Acolytes over there?”

Bucky follows the direction of Steve’s pointing finger, getting a close up view with his sniper. 

“The ones praising the Lord, or whatever it is they do?” Sam asks. 

Steve hums in affirmation. Bucky knows what’s coming with sudden clarity. He pulls away from his scope to watch. 

Steve has one fist raised before his chest, clenched tight. The crackle of lightning forms in his fist, traveling up his arm until he’s engulfed in it. The space around them starts to tingle, static building from Steve with startling intensity. He gathers himself and takes a running leap, hurtling through the air with his back arched and hands raised. Arc energy snaps between his arms, from his helmet to his shoulders, a current down between his legs. When he’s close, he brings his hands down hard, smashing into the ground right in the middle of the group he’d pointed out before. They all burn up into nothing under the power of Steve’s Light. 

The Knight turns toward Steve, massive sword raised, and Steve laughs, wild and brilliant. 

“Well,” Sam bites out, before leaping off the edge, void energy sucking at the vacuum of space around him as he prepares a Nova Bomb. 

“I hate you both,” Bucky sighs, before sighting a Wizard and pulling the trigger.


End file.
